1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon and more particularly pertains to a new lower leg protection means for preventing injury to a person s lower leg.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon is known in the prior art. More specifically, means for protecting a person's shin and Achilles tendon heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 1,744,384; U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,537; U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,571; U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,148; U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,271; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,037.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new lower leg protection means. The inventive device includes a pair of thin, laterally curved rigid members which are enclosed with foam material such as polyfoam and which are essentially made of carbon fiber graphite. Each of the thin, laterally curved rigid members is fastened about a particular region of a person's lower leg with fasteners which includes a pair of first strips of hook and loop fasteners, a pair of elongate elastic members, and a pair of second strips of hook and loop fasteners attached to the elongate elastic members. One of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's shin, and the other of the thin, laterally curved, padded rigid members is adapted to fit about and protect a person's Achilles tendon.
In these respects, the lower leg protection means according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing injury to a person's lower leg.